It will soon be the shortest day of the year as the winter solstice is almost upon us.

The time between sunrise and sunset on Thursday, December 21, will be 7 hours, 27 minutes and 25 seconds in Scunthorpe.

It's a far cry from the he longest day of the year on June 21 when we basked in 17 hours, 3 minutes and 1 second of daylight.

The solstice will mark the official start of winter is the astronomical calendar, but what does it mean and what is its significance?

When will it take place?

The winter solstice is on Thursday, December 21. The date is different each year and varies between December 20, 21, 22 or 23, although December 20 or 23 solstices are rare, according to astronomy website dateandtime.com

The winter solstice will take place at approximately 4.28pm. The sun is set to rise at 8.14am and set at 3.53pm.

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What is the winter solstice?

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and the longest night. It marks the time when the northern hemisphere of the Earth tilts away from the sun, thus marking the beginning of winter.

In Latin the word solstice means 'standing still'. The sun's seasonal movement will stop for a period of time before it reverses and the amount of sunlight begins to change again.

The winter solstice will only happen on Thursday in the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth - which includes Europe, North America, Central America, the majority of Asia, approximately two thirds of Africa, and about 10 per cent of South America.

In the Southern Hemisphere - Australia, New Zealand, South America - the same day will mark the summer solstice, also known as the longest day of the year.

Sunset over Stonehenge. (Image: Getty)

Traditions and rituals

One of the most well known celebrations of the winter solstice is at Stonehenge, Wiltshire. The landmark is believed to have been built in the late Neolithic Age, around 3000 BC, and over the years various changes were made to it, with the last one being in the early Bronze Age, around 1500 BC.

Each year hundreds of people gather at the landmark on the day of the winter solstice to watch the sun set.

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In Pagan times, the winter solstice was called the Yule and it was a celebration of the Goddess Moon. It was believed that on this day, the Moon would give birth to the Sun.

Due to this, many celebrated Yule as a day where light reigned over darkness and believed it was a sign of good things to come.

It was honoured as a time of birth or the start of a new cycle, and was celebrated by lighting a candle or decorating a tree. Some historians believe that this is the origins behind the Christmas tree.

Other Christmas traditions including mistletoe and holly are linked with the solstice due to their evergreen nature and, of course, the Yule log, with the light from its burning connected with the start of the solar year.